Unrecorded alcohol consumption in Russia: toxic denaturants and disinfectants pose additional risks

In 2005, 30% of all alcohol consumption in Russia was unrecorded. This paper describes the chemical composition of unrecorded and low cost alcohol, including a toxicological evaluation. Alcohol products (n=22) from both recorded and unrecorded sources were obtained from three Russian cities (Saratov, Lipetsk and Irkutsk) and were chemically analyzed. Unrecorded alcohols included homemade samogons, medicinal alcohols and surrogate alcohols. Analysis included alcoholic strength, levels of volatile compounds (methanol, acetaldehyde, higher alcohols), ethyl carbamate, diethyl phthalate (DEP) and polyhexamethyleneguanidine hydrochloride (PHMG). Single samples showed contamination with DEP (275–1269 mg/l) and PHMG (515 mg/l) above levels of toxicological concern. Our detailed chemical analysis of Russian alcohols showed that the composition of vodka, samogon and medicinal alcohols generally did not raise major public health concerns other than for ethanol. It was shown, however, that concentration levels of DEP and PHMG in some surrogate alcohols make these samples unfit for human consumption as even moderate drinking would exceed acceptable daily intakes

Ataxia associated with anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies

Anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibody-associated ataxia is a rarely diagnosed but potentially curable disease associated with autoimmune damage to and death of Purkinje cells in the cerebellar cortex. In Russia, the authors have provided for the first time descriptions of three own observations of this disease, which had a number of clinical features, such as slow progression, mild ataxia, stroke-like episodes with stem symptoms, concomitant gluten sensitivity, onset of ataxia after hepatitis C with cerebellar hemiataxia and hemiatrophy. In the all patients, the diagnosis was verified based on the determination of high anti-GAD antibody titers in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. All the patients lacked intrathecal synthesis of oligoclonal antibodies; protein levels and cytosis were normal. Pulse therapy with methylprednisolone at a total dose of 3–5 g led to a slight reduction in ataxia in one case (a female patient with subacute onset of the disease); the treatment was ineffective in two other cases (patients with a primary chronic course). The paper analyzes the literature covering the pathogenesis and clinical presentations of this type of ataxia, and difficulties in its diagnosis and treatment

Charcoal scarcity in Epigravettian settlements with mammoth bone dwellings: the taphonomic evidence from Mezhyrich (Ukraine)

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